Latest news with #DepartmentofJustice
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pam Bondi Ends Bar Association Role in Trump Judicial Picks
President Donald Trump, accompanied by Pam Bondi, speaks before Bondi is sworn in as U.S. Attorney General in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Credit - Andrew Harnik—Getty Images The Department of Justice has announced that it will be curtailing the ability of the American Bar Association (ABA) to rate candidates for tenure in the federal judiciary. This will hinder the ABA's ability to vet nominations put forth by President Donald Trump. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a letter to the ABA president William Bay on Thursday, May 29, that she is cutting off the association's access to non-public information about Trump nominees. Bondi referred to the non-partisan membership organization as an 'activist' group. 'Unfortunately, the ABA no longer functions as a fair arbiter of nominees' qualifications, and its ratings invariably and demonstrably favor nominees put forth by Democratic Administrations,' said Bondi, accusing the ABA of having 'bias' in its ratings process. 'There is no justification for treating the ABA differently from such other activist organizations and the Department of Justice will not do so.' Bondi went on to say that judicial nominees will no longer need to provide waivers to allow the ABA access to non-public information, nor will they respond to questionnaires or sit for interviews with the association. In a subsequent social media post, Bondi doubled down, saying: 'The American Bar Association has lost its way, and we do not believe it serves as a fair arbiter of judicial nominees. The Justice Department will no longer give the ABA the access they've taken for granted.' The move against the ABA came a day after Trump announced six new judicial nominees, which included top Justice Department official Emil Bove being put forward to serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that Bove 'will end the weaponization of Justice, restore the rule of law, and do anything else that is necessary to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.' Bove defended Trump during his hush-money trial, during which the President was convicted on 34 counts. Trump also nominated Kyle Dudek, John Guard, Jordan E. Pratt, and Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to serve as Judges on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and Ed Artau to serve as a Judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The President has previously threatened to revoke the ABA's status as the federally-recognized accreditor of law schools in an Executive Order signed on April 24. As part of his wide-scale crackdown on DEI efforts, Trump said that the ABA has required law schools to demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion, something which he says is a "discriminatory requirement" and that "similar unlawful mandates must be permanently eradicated." Critics have recently raised concerns over current practices at the Department of Justice.'I think what's happening in the Department of Justice right now is that it's being transformed into Donald Trump's personal law firm," said Liz Oyer, the DOJ's former pardon attorney. "The Attorney General has made it clear that directions are coming from the very top, from the President, and she is there to do his bidding.' Read More: Democrats Grill AG Pick Pam Bondi Over Whether She Can Defy Trump Founded in 1878, the ABA works on the 'commitment to set the legal and ethical foundation for the American nation,' according to the organization's website. Its main three areas of focus revolve around advocating for the legal profession, eliminating bias and enhancing diversity, as well as advancing the rule of law. It is the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary that typically oversees and conducts the judicial nominee vetting process, something it has done since 1953. According to the ABA, the committee 'makes a unique contribution to the vetting process by conducting a thorough peer assessment of each nominee's professional competence, integrity, and judicial temperament.' The organization asserts that these assessments are non-partisan, providing the Senate and sitting Administration with 'confidential assessments of the nominee's professional qualifications.' Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Pam Bondi Curtails American Bar Association's Role in Vetting Trump's Judicial Nominees
The Department of Justice has announced that it will be curtailing the ability of the American Bar Association (ABA) to rate candidates for tenure in the federal judiciary. This will hinder the ABA's ability to vet nominations put forth by President Donald Trump. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a letter to the ABA president William Bay on Thursday, May 29, that she is cutting off the association's access to non-public information about Trump nominees. Bondi referred to the non-partisan membership organization as an 'activist' group. 'Unfortunately, the ABA no longer functions as a fair arbiter of nominees' qualifications, and its ratings invariably and demonstrably favor nominees put forth by Democratic Administrations,' said Bondi, accusing the ABA of having 'bias' in its ratings process. 'There is no justification for treating the ABA differently from such other activist organizations and the Department of Justice will not do so.' Bondi went on to say that judicial nominees will no longer need to provide waivers to allow the ABA access to non-public information, nor will they respond to questionnaires or sit for interviews with the association. In a subsequent social media post, Bondi doubled down, saying: 'The American Bar Association has lost its way, and we do not believe it serves as a fair arbiter of judicial nominees. The Justice Department will no longer give the ABA the access they've taken for granted.' The move against the ABA came a day after Trump announced six new judicial nominees, which included top Justice Department official Emil Bove being put forward to serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that Bove 'will end the weaponization of Justice, restore the rule of law, and do anything else that is necessary to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.' Bove defended Trump during his hush-money trial, during which the President was convicted on 34 counts. Trump also nominated Kyle Dudek, John Guard, Jordan E. Pratt, and Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to serve as Judges on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and Ed Artau to serve as a Judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The President has previously threatened to revoke the ABA's status as the federally-recognized accreditor of law schools in an Executive Order signed on April 24. As part of his wide-scale crackdown on DEI efforts, Trump said that the ABA has required law schools to demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion, something which he says is a "discriminatory requirement" and that "similar unlawful mandates must be permanently eradicated." Critics have recently raised concerns over current practices at the Department of Justice. 'I think what's happening in the Department of Justice right now is that it's being transformed into Donald Trump's personal law firm," said Liz Oyer, the DOJ's former pardon attorney. "The Attorney General has made it clear that directions are coming from the very top, from the President, and she is there to do his bidding.' What is the American Bar Association and what does it do? Founded in 1878, the ABA works on the 'commitment to set the legal and ethical foundation for the American nation,' according to the organization's website. Its main three areas of focus revolve around advocating for the legal profession, eliminating bias and enhancing diversity, as well as advancing the rule of law. It is the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary that typically oversees and conducts the judicial nominee vetting process, something it has done since 1953. According to the ABA, the committee 'makes a unique contribution to the vetting process by conducting a thorough peer assessment of each nominee's professional competence, integrity, and judicial temperament.' The organization asserts that these assessments are non-partisan, providing the Senate and sitting Administration with 'confidential assessments of the nominee's professional qualifications.'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Boeing paying $1.1B as DOJ dismisses criminal fraud case; families of victims in crashes set to object to deal
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly informed victims' families of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX8 aircraft crashes that it is dismissing criminal fraud charges against the airplane manufacturer, though families plan to object to the filing. Clifford Law Offices said in a news release that the DOJ sent a letter to families on Thursday, informing them the government agency had filed a motion to dismiss the criminal fraud matter against Boeing. Instead, the DOJ said it filed a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) against Boeing regarding two 737 MAX8 planes that crashed six years ago and killed 346 people. The DOJ sent the letter as part of the federal Crime Victims' Rights Act, which requires them to inform crime victims of their actions. Justice Department Strikes Tentative Deal Allowing Boeing To Escape Criminal Charges In Fatal 737 Max Crashes Pro bono lawyer Paul Cassell, who also works as a professor at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, represents several families of victims, and they have advised U.S. District Court Judge Reed O'Connor about their intentions to object to the DOJ's motion. Read On The Fox Business App The families were informed nearly a week after the DOJ said it had struck a tentative deal with Boeing that allows the company to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading regulators about the company's 737 Max plane before two crashes that killed 346 people. Under the deal, Boeing will pay out $1.1 billion, including $445 million to a fund for the crash victims' families, the DOJ said in court documents last week. Dc Plane Crash: Victim's Family Seeks $250 Million In First Legal Action Since Deadly Collision In exchange, the DOJ will dismiss a fraud charge against the aircraft manufacturer. The DOJ did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment on the matter. The news release noted that the families had been asking for a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi since Feb. 6, with hopes of meeting before a final decision was made. The law firm said the families had never heard back, as of Thursday. "Boeing must continue to improve the effectiveness of its anti-fraud compliance and ethics program and retain an independent compliance consultant," the department said last week. "We are confident that this resolution is the most just outcome with practical benefits." Dc Plane Crash: Airport Employees Arrested Over Leaked Video Of Midair Collision Last year, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge after two fatal 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019. The company previously agreed to pay a fine of up to $487.2 million and face three years of independent oversight. The deal announced last Friday did not go over well with relatives of those killed in the crashes. "This kind of non-prosecution deal is unprecedented and obviously wrong for the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history. My families will object and hope to convince the court to reject it," Cassell said. Boeing has faced increased scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since January 2024, when a new Max 9 missing four key bolts had a midair emergency, losing a door plug, Reuters reported. The FAA has capped production at 38 planes per month. Last year, the DOJ found Boeing had violated a 2021 agreement that shielded the plane-maker from prosecution. FOX Business' Louis Casiano contributed to this article source: Boeing paying $1.1B as DOJ dismisses criminal fraud case; families of victims in crashes set to object to deal
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
China targets US military members in overseas spy operations, former CIA station chief warns
A former CIA station chief says China has U.S. military service members and government employees in the "crosshairs" of its overseas spy operations. Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both active-duty Army soldiers, were arrested in early March after allegedly selling "Top Secret" information to individuals based in China, according to the Department of Justice. Zhao and Tian were both indicted by federal grand juries in Washington and Oregon. Federal prosecutors allege Tian sold sensitive military information to former soldier Ruoyu Duan, who would allegedly receive money from individuals residing in China. Tian then allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars for selling the sensitive information. Included in the alleged documents Tian sold was a Google Drive link containing classified documents about the Stryker combat vehicle. Tian also allegedly sent additional sensitive data on U.S. weapons systems. Bombshell Report Suggests 'Chinese Spies' Infiltrating Prestigious Us University: 'Widespread Campaign' Prosecutors said the incidents highlight efforts by China to use "cut-outs," known as people trusted by Chinese intelligence services, to gather sensitive information that could help the Chinese government. Those "cut-outs" then recruit individuals with access to or knowledge of U.S. government information, which includes current and former government officials. Read On The Fox News App According to the court documents, security video showed Tian allegedly brought his personal cellphone into a classified area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington in May 2024, printed a classified document and left with it. He would allegedly return over three hours later with the document. Prosecutors also alleged that Tian took screenshots of sensitive information on several occasions. In a connected case at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Zhao allegedly sold classified information to an unnamed co-conspirator. According to federal prosecutors, Zhao received at least $15,000 for the documents. Zhao allegedly sold 20 military hard drives to an individual in China, some containing a "Secret" label. Zaho allegedly conspired to sell information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System as well as information related to U.S. military readiness if there was a war with China. "While bribery and corruption have thrived under China's Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information," said FBI Director Kash Patel on the charges. Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital he thinks U.S. military service members as well as government employees are being targeted to take part in these spy operations. Former Us Army Intelligence Analyst Sentenced For Selling Sensitive Documents To Chinese National "I think anybody who serves in the U.S. government is in the crosshairs. And China will do it," Hoffman said. "Sometimes they'll run their recruitment operations posing as someone else. So maybe somebody doesn't want to go spy for China, but they might pretend to be somebody else. Or they might contact you on social media, on LinkedIn or some other site and pose as someone not so nefarious when in fact they are." Hoffman said gaining intel from the U.S. military is one of the Chinese government's "highest requirements." "They want to recruit U.S. military because there's a probability we might go to war with China, and not just U.S. military, but NATO members as well, and throughout Asia. So they've got a massive intelligence apparatus," he said. China isn't just targeting the U.S. military. It's targeting many other aspects of American society as well, including academia. Five former University of Michigan students were charged in October 2024 after they were allegedly caught spying on a National Guard training center for the Chinese government during a training session with the Taiwanese military. The former University of Michigan students were confronted by a Utah National Guard sergeant major in August 2023 near a lake at Camp Grayling in Michigan. Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute focusing on U.S. and China relations, told Fox News Digital the Chinese Communist Party "will exercise whatever tactics they feel they need to by hook or crook to get our military secrets," adding China is "shameless." "This is a tactic that China is exercising in the new Cold War that we're locked in with the Chinese Communist Party. And one of the things that is really striking is the low price that a lot of Americans are willing to sell their patriotism for and their allegiance for. Some of these people didn't get that much money to sell some really sensitive military secrets over to the Chinese Communist Party," Sobolik said. Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this article source: China targets US military members in overseas spy operations, former CIA station chief warns
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Search for Escaped Former Police Chief Escalates as FBI Offers $10,000 Reward
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Grant Hardin, a former police chief who escaped from an Arkansas prison on Sunday. The Department of Justice said it was supporting Arkansas authorities in the search for Hardin, who was convicted of first-degree murder and rape, after he fled the North Central Unit prison near Calico Rock. The Context In October 2017, Grant Matthew Hardin pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge in connection with the shooting of James Appleton, who was found dead inside his car. He received a 30-year sentence. The former police chief was also sentenced to 50 years for the rape of an Arkansas elementary school teacher in 1997. His crimes earned him the nickname "Devil in the Ozarks" in a 2023 documentary. What To Know In an update on the search, which began on Sunday, authorities in Arkansas said the FBI had issued a $10,000 reward for anyone who had information that could lead to Hardin's arrest. "This morning, the FBI, Department of Corrections, Arkansas State Police, and Department of Justice have announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of escaped inmate Grant Matthew Hardin," Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, told Newsweek. "Hardin escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on Sunday, May 25. An arrest warrant was issued for Hardin on May 26 by the Circuit Court of Izard County after he was charged with second-degree escape," Champion continued. Anyone with information concerning Hardin should "contact the FBI's toll-free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You may also contact your local FBI office, local law enforcement, or submit tips online at A poster of Grant Matthew Hardin, who escaped from prison in Arkansas on May 25. A poster of Grant Matthew Hardin, who escaped from prison in Arkansas on May 25. FBI Hardin escaped from prison by wearing clothing that made him look like a member of staff rather than a prisoner, an investigation of his escape found. Hardin has since been charged with second-degree escape, which carries a minimum jail sentence of nine months. Hardin previously served as the police chief of Gateway, a city to the north of Fayetteville on the state line with Missouri. Locals fear that his knowledge of the area means authorities may find it harder to locate him. Officials said the cave system in the Ozark Mountains was a point of focus for the search effort. Arkansas residents described Hardin as "very, very smart" and someone who "knows where the caves are" in the region. What People Are Saying Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said: "That's one of the challenges of this area—there are a lot of places to hide and take shelter, a lot of abandoned sheds, and there are a lot of caves in this area, so that's been a priority for the search team." In its initial statement about Grant Hardin's escape, the Department of Corrections said: "On Sunday, May 25, at approximately 3:40 p.m., inmate Grant Hardin, escaped from the North Central Unit. Anyone with information about inmate Hardin's whereabouts should contact local law enforcement immediately. The Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are working with local, state and federal law enforcement to follow leads. "Hardin has been at the North Central Unit since 2017, serving a 30-year sentence for first degree murder, as well as an additional sentence for rape. Hardin was the former police chief for the city of Gateway with a background in law enforcement." What Happens Next Anyone with information on Hardin's movements is encouraged to contact the FBI.
